A to Z Challenge, Z

A to Z Challenge

Zoom has been disappointing for me lately. For some reason, I don’t get to see my friends or the church service. I’m able to hear everything.

That’s the bad news. The good news was watching all the Zoo shows this weekend. I love those.

Speaking of zoos and animals, I was passionate about a certain segment on the CBS Sunday Morning Show.

It inspires me to try and write nature music. It might cause some

Or

I hope for a little of both!

Review: Rose Among Thornes: an inspiring World War II historical fiction by Terrie Todd

Rose Among Thornes: an inspiring World War II historical fiction by Terrie Todd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a bit of a surprise. Though a Christian fiction, it was uplifting, not preachy, and often about church music. That has always been my favorite part of church. The main character is a pianist, so I could relate in many ways to her need to practice when there was no piano around.

The above theme runs through the book set in WWII, Canada, and then Japan. The bigotry towards the Japanese since Pearl Harbor is shown to us through Rose and her family. That is another theme.

Though this is fiction, I heard enough stories from my dad and other WWII vets that this felt quite true. And for those who like romance, there is a little of that. Not sickeningly so, just something positive to look forward to.

I enjoyed the book. Maybe you will, too!

View all my reviews

Just Jot It January,

The prompt word for January 22nd is “seasonal.” Thanks go to Kaye for the wonderful prompt!

Please be sure to check out Kaye’s blog here!

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/22/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-22nd-2023/ It’s fun!

Linda spoke of how her writing was seasonal. NaNoWriMo, CampNaNo and Just Jot It January becomes her writing time. Me, too. It seems those programs help motivate me properly. I haven’t won every time. And sometimes, like last month as I tried another goal, I made no progress at all. But often I make the 50k. Even on the camps. That would probably not surprise my teachers. Most of my report cards had comments like, ‘Darlene talks too much in class.’

This year I’ve over-goaled my life with all the gifts I’m trying to make and so writing has fallen by the wayside.

And I still have to podcast and start reading aloud my books, starting with my memoirs. The area in my house I planned on using, suddenly has Diamond Paintings.

My recorder playing, piano and voice practice have fallen off.

There are only 24 hours in a day. Still!!! I stay up reading until 3 or 4. With my old dog waking me often, sleep also seems seasonal. Heat and smoke and bugs of summer, icy cold and snow of winter affects everything in our house. Where we hang out, how we sleep, either covered up over my head with warmth or sheet to keep bugs off. And all this affects energy and pain levels, ya know?

Maybe I need to organize my day better and my week to include everything I want to do.

Thank goodness for the treadmill. It still gets used most days of the week.

How does anyone get anything done with a job? I did do NaNo. But the rest of this, writing, knitting, especially learning new stitches, artwork, music, etc. Little got done. Too tired. Housework. Phew!

Seasons of our lives are as influential as the weather. Whew!

Just Jot It January, Solo

Check out Linda’s prompt page.

Solo, Han please sing.

I bet his song was about somebody else’s daddy or a confused girl who seemed to be in love with her brother.

I don’t know where that came from. Just a trip into a bit different.

This was a prompt from the Random Word Generator. Sometimes random feels personal!

I could spend hours in therapy over this word. That may be one of the most exciting words while being the most perspiration producing of all times.

I remember the first day of voice classes. I had decided never to come back. I wouldn’t walk out like one guy. That would draw too much attention. But why’d I come to this class? No, nope!

I took 8 semesters and then voice classes with the teacher. I ended up soloing in local churches, singing with a Renaissance recorder group. We even made a recording in a studio. My prof sent students to me. Yeah.

But piano accompaniment was also part of the class for me. Whereas I learned to love singing solo, I’m still terrified to play the piano in front of people.

On the flip side of it all. I haven’t sung a solo for decades. Now I think I’d nearly die. But really, I miss singing.

Well, that sums it up. Therapy is too expensive. You’re welcome.

When you can’t hear it, it’s Solo.

One-Liner Wednesday

Another Facebook meme.

One-Liner Wednesday by Linda G. Hill

One-Liner Wednesday

Again, from Facebook:

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

Linda is queen of One-Liner Wednesday!

Facebook Meme

Who Knew?

Review: The Beginners Method for Soprano and Alto Recorder, Book 1 by Sonja Burakoff

The Beginners Method for Soprano and Alto Recorder, Book 1 by Sonja Burakoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked up the Kindle version of this book first. Later I ordered the paper version so I would have the book online or without electronic aid. I had a soprano recorder I was learning to play and decided to try the alto, too. I love how the book showed the fingering for both recorders and even combined to make duets that both recorders would play a part.

Every couple of pages, the book gives a new note or two. I am happy to say that I have played all the songs in the book, the soprano melody, and the alto melody. I am glad they were, for the most part, easily recognizable folk songs. That meant that this first go-round, I could concentrate on the fingering, which is far different from the piano that I’ve played all my life.

After a music hiatus, this book was the perfect way to get back in and enjoy music.

Though I have played the melodies, I plan to use this book the following way. I have an app or two that will help me. One will play the metronome, and then I will record each part of the duets presented. It seems like a fun way to get even more acquainted with the fingering I have mastered. I know I still need work on breath and tempo.

After this book, I have many more beginning recorder books to play with. Each has different approaches and ways to perfect what I know to get to the next level.

View all my reviews

A Hard Decision

With NaNoWriMo coming up fast, I’ve decided to forgo the rest of #Inktober. The story the first ones of the month prompted will be rewritten possibly as the main NaNo 50K or as part of a threesome I need to finish from before. I will use the prompts in the story and make drawings or sketches.

There is only one week to prepare for the three projects.

What made me decide this? I haven’t played my recorders for days. Having too much to do only makes me feel guilt. Guilt makes me unproductive. So I need to figure out my time better to keep it free and fun.

Back to making music.